Breadless Butter Snacks! Part 1

I have always adored butter. (Yes, as one of my sisters will gladly tell you, my nickname even used to be Butter-Ball, mainly because of an incident that occurred when I was about 18 months old.)

While learning about food and discovering that whole grains are not the miracle of healthfulness that most proclaim they are, I have simultaneous learned that butter is actually extremely beneficial and important to a healthful diet. (Did I used to say things went together like bread and butter? Looks like I need a new adage.)

Of course, when you find the need to reduce, or eliminate grains from your diet, you will find that there are A LOT of bread-type recipes that are grain free, and these are obviously quite helpful, and awesome in their own right, especially as you begin a difficult transition away from the crumby, carb-heavy diet that most Americans consume.

In fact, I will be sharing some of my favorite grain free, bread-type recipes here shortly, but today I want to talk about something new. A complete freedom from your previous dependence on bread. Especially in regards to enjoying butter.

When my nutritionist first told me how important eating butter was, he pointed out to me that one of it's main benefits is that the amino acids in butter help us to absorb vitamin D. He suggested that any time I come inside from being out in the sun, I should not only drink water to stave off dehydration, but I should get myself a piece of bread and really slather it with some butter to help me absorb and use all the vitamin D that my skin had just created. Of course, this was before I started noticing the correlation between my digestive problems and grain based foods like bread.

So, in trying to continue following the doctors orders, but avoid any uncomfortable gastric problems, I decided it was time to get a little bit creative and come up with new ways to enjoy one of my favorite condiments. Butter.

Of course, one could obviously melt it into sauces, soups and over hot veggies, but I have always loved the flavor, texture and consistency of room temperature or slightly chilled butter.

Here is one of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy a snack with some soft creamy butter!

Spiced Butter Dip & Raw Carrots:

I believe the inspiration for this one came from a carrot cake craving that hit me a couple of years ago.
I began to wonder if I could still enjoy the flavors of carrot cake without the effort of baking (and of course without involving grains.) Somehow it came to me that if I made a dip out of the same spices that go into a carrot cake, then ate it with a raw carrot, it would be just as yummy. It is.

Since I've been doing this for a couple of years now, I've had plenty of time to experiment with the recipe, though truth be told, I never measure anymore, so giving you exact measurements would be iffy.
I usually will mix some of this goodness up in a small ramekin using roughly, a couple of tablespoons of soft butter. Sometimes I've also added coconut oil to the base, sometimes I don't. Then I've sweetened and spiced it to fit my current mood.

As you can see by the photos that I've taken over the past couple of years, the consistency can change depending on how much of each ingredient I add. Sometimes I've wanted a lighter flavor so I've added less honey and more coconut oil. It all depends on what I want the end result to be.

But the bottom line is, the measurements are of secondary concern. The results are always scrumptious.

In fact, last year I began eating so many carrots (Organic Carrots are available at our Costco, $5.99 for 10 lbs) because of this recipe, that I really did turn orange. Luckily, I'm so fair it doesn't really show much. You can only really tell if you look at the callouses on the edge of my palms.

I've also called it different names as time has gone on. At first it was 'Carrot-Cake-Batter dip,' but this seemed a bit misleading, and then I started to miss the flavor of ginger snaps and so I stopped adding raisins and went heaver on the ginger and the coconut sugar. (See first Photo) So then I called it 'Gingerbread dip' or  'Ginger Snap Dip.' Yet, again this seemed misleading. Because my dip does not contain batter, bread or cookies, it merely tastes like those things, I finally had to admit that Spiced Butter Dip is the most accurate name.

Spiced Butter Dip

Ingredients:
Room Temperature Butter (Grassfed would of course be ideal)
Organic Coconut Oil (Either melted or thicker, doesn't really matter)
Raw Local Honey (To Taste)
Organic Coconut Sugar (To Taste)
About a 1 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, more or less.
About 1 to 1/2 a teaspoon of ground ginger " "
A sprinkle or two of any of the following as desired:
      * Ground Cloves
      * Cardamom
      * Allspice
      * Nutmeg
About a tablespoon of raisins, (opt.)
A sprinkle of sea salt is desired to enhance flavors (especially if your butter is unsalted.)

Mix together and enjoy with a fresh raw carrot or two!

Bonus Note:

I've tried this dip with apple slices as well, but I prefer it with carrots. The apples with a sweet dip seem a bit too sweet for me still.

However, I have also made the same dip and substituted Cream Cheese for the butter and that is extremely tasty with both carrots and apples. Especially apples because of the flavor contrast.

It's a really good flavor combo for carrots though because it's kind of like the cream cheese frosting one finds on a carrot cake. But I still find myself going back to the butter based dip for carrots because it is truly delicious and the goal is also to be getting my butter in. Thanks to some spices and a raw carrot, this is far easier than pie.

Avoiding Sugarbane . . . And Other Toxic Foods

bane

[beyn] 

 

• Examples
• Word Origin

noun

1.

a person or thing that ruins or spoils:

Gambling was the bane of his existence.

2.

a deadly poison (often used in combination, 

as in the names of poisonous plants):

wolfsbane; henbane.

3.

death; destruction; ruin.

4.

Obsolete. that which causes death or destroys 

life:

entrapped and drowned beneath the waterybane.

I have been thinking about this for a long time, mainly because this is my life right now, and it has become my life more and more in the past five years or so . . .

Whatever your reasons for wanting to eat cleaner; whether it's because you are trying to invest in better health for your future, heal from current health issues, or if you have an allergy or other ongoing condition that prevents you from eating what most Americans would call "normal" food, I've found some pretty awesome ways to make it a little easier to avoid the bad stuff while still enjoying your relationship with food.

Let's face it, sometimes eating feels more like a chore than a pleasure. Sometimes I think that's okay, as Bejamin Franklin said, "Eat to live, and not live to eat."
I think there is something in that. Food shouldn't be the end-all of our lives, after all, it's purpose is really to sustain our lives, not to put us into a bondage of addictions and health issues.
Still, I also have found that the more you eat to live, the better the life-giving options taste, until it truly is a pleasure to eat again. The transition from junky, processed foods to whole, clean foods can be a difficult hike, but once we've made our way through all the rough parts, reaching higher and higher ground makes one realize, if we look back, that we have come pretty far, and going back is not a desirable option.

As those of you who have already conquered your addiction to cane sugar know; it really does get easier . . . to the point that those acid bright cakes in the window at the bakery no longer look enticing, but on the reverse, rather grotesque.

Of course, sometimes one still might give in---be it the look of the food or the smell of those addictive MSG chemicals wafting through the air. . .
Even if you have no real desire to eat the food offered, sometimes it's the social pressure of being the only one at the birthday party to not eat the cake, (Yes, I've done this, even when it was my own birthday. Not a fun scenario to find yourself in.)
Or maybe you fear offending someone, or you worry after you get that look from people that says, 'Oh, I feel so sorry for you!' Making you feel that maybe you really are deprived.
Or maybe if it's not a health condition, but merely by choice in order to avoid possible future health conditions, and they give you the 'Are you crazy? How can you live without it?' kind of look.

Believe me, I've been there, and felt the pressure and even given in once or twice. The first time was after my first six months of no processed foods. We were at a family potluck and, as was typical with that particular party, there were far more desserts to choose from than soups.

I looked over the slew of cookies both homemade and store bought and told myself that they didn't even look good. Truth be told, they really didn't, or at least, I knew that their looks were deceiving. I think taking the time to even look at them had more to do with habit than anything.
Then my husband's favorite cousin waltzed in with a tray of mini cheesecake parfaits. Okay, cheesecake and I are old friends . . . or perhaps enemies. (Which reminds me, I'll need to post my clean cheesecake recipe here soon.) The point is, I gave in, and I regretted it. Not because I got sick, (I didn't start having, or perhaps noticing those kind of reactions until much later) or because it wasn't good. (Though it really wasn't as good as all the anticipation had built it up to be,) but because the moment I'd put that toxic cane sugar in my body, the sugar cravings were back instantly, as if I'd made no progress in the past six months.
Well, maybe not quite that bad, but I think it took me a few months of recovery till I was back to abstaining from the "treats" again.

The last time I "cheated" was at a Christmas party, and my Mother, whom I love dearly, said, "Well, I only used organic sugar, so it's non-GMO and the flour is gluten free." How could I possibly repay all that obvious effort at striving to accommodate my needs by snubbing those same efforts? Luckily, one small serving only kept me up for an hour that night instead of three. Yet, the fact remains that now, even organic cane is something that my body does not want. Even the slightest trace of it sets off all kinds of alarm bells in my body as if to say, "No, no please not this stuff again!"
Whether you want to avoid the two day indigestion, the screaming leg cramps that wake you in the middle of the night, or the 24 hour headaches that make death seem like a merciful alternative, or if you have other reasons for avoiding the common food toxins, the point is: No amount of flavor or texture in your few moments of experiencing that food is worth it. Period.

Of course, progress still carries me forward and I've found, with immense relief that these situations, no longer stress me out, or depress me the way they used to. I've somehow reached a plateau where I have found peace of mind. No matter where I am, no matter what others around me are consuming, even if it's not at all what I would wish for myself or others whom I love to be putting into their bodies. I am at peace.

But I digress.

As I before stated, I have found some useful, tools, tips and tricks that have made clean eating not only entirely doable, (even on a limited budget with hardly any outside support) but entirely enjoyable as well.

I'm not sure I can promise you the same peaceful place that I have managed to come to; that may only be achieved with time, or perhaps simply letting the worry and stress go, and getting out of the habit of negative thoughts about foods, even toxic ones. Still, I'm going to try to commit myself to posting new tips every few days here so as to build up a nice list of ideas that will hopefully be helpful and practical for you all.

Since this post is already rather long, I will leave my first tip to the next post. Stay tuned for: How to Eat Clean (No matter your situation).

Peroxide, Who Knew?

Here is yet another e-mail I got from my Mother-in-Law. I personally have found this to be pretty helpful in the teeth whitening department. Anyway, here's the article.

Peroxide, Who Knew?
(Safer and Healthier than Bleach)


This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana
(a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you. She
was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I
was using to clean my toilet and counter tops. This is
what she told me...


I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain
little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under
$1.00 at any drug store. What does bleach cost?


My husband has been in the medical field for over 36
years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide.
Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office?
NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy!
Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and
ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser
and know better!


Did you also know bleach was invented in the late
40's? It's chlorine, Folks! And it was used to kill
our troops. Peroxide was invented during WWI in the
20's. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs
of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this.


1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes
with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes
daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No
more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter
without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.


2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to
keep them free of germs.


3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to
kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a
little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on
the counters.


4 After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour
peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.


5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a
50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them
(especially the toes) every night and let dry.


6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five
to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has
seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine
but was healed by soaking in peroxide.


7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of
peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to
disinfect without harming your septic system like
bleach or most other disinfectants will.


8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with
your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged
sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria.
Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a
tissue.


9 If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a
dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into
your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a
day. The pain will lessen greatly.


10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your
hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after
a shower and comb it through. You will not have the
peroxide-burnt blond hair like the hair dye packages
but more natural highlights if your hair is a light
brown, reddish, or dirty blond. It also lightens
gradually, so it's not a drastic change.


11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help
rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.


12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of
bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten
them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly
on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub
it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.


13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no
smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.


I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no
home should be without! With prices of most
necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save
tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!


This information really woke me up. I hope you gain
something from it, too.